Call Me What You Will...

Eco mom. Green mom. Crunchy mom. As much as I wish I were one, I am not.

I mean, I have a pantry full of reusable grocery bags, but almost always forget to actually bring them to the grocery store. I drive a rather large gas-guzzling SUV, which in my defense was a hand-me-down, but Mother Earth doesn’t care about such things. I didn’t cloth diaper, and I don’t compost. Or carpool. Or take short showers. And don’t get me started on my love affair with paper towels. I think I’ve made my point that I am not what you would call a “green” mom. But I think it’s possible to say I’m “green-ish”?

I mean, I do recycle. I use non-toxic cleaners. I make sure all of our plastic and canned goods are BPA-Free. Our appliances are energy efficient. And when I have the choice, I choose organic food. I understand what organic means and why it is worth a higher price. I know that foods without the organic label are allowed to contain all sorts of chemicals and dyes and growth hormones and genetically-modified ingredients. I don’t want my family consuming said chemicals and dyes and growth hormones and genetically-modified ingredients. Plus buying organic supports thousands of organic family farmers who are doing amazing things for the planet.

So I choose my battles and organic is one of them. And I do this while swimming against the tide of friends, parents, grandparents, teachers, and others who think I’m weird for being an advocate for organic. Because remember, I’m not what you would call a “green” mom.

Like so many moms I know, the birth of my child was the catalyst for my interest in seeking out healthier options for my family. I am not perfect and wish I was more diligent in many areas, but just like most of you, I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve got. But I hope you’ll stick with me in my quest to become “greener” and to make the healthiest choices for my family and the planet. And if you want to call me crunchy along the way, I don’t mind.